In business, there is a speed difference: It's the difference between how important a firms leaders say speed is to their competitive (競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的) strategy(策略)and how fast the company actually moves. The difference is important regardless of industry and company size .Companies fearful of losing their competitive advantage spend much time and money looking for ways to pick up the speed.
In our study of 343 businesses, the companies that choose to go, go, go to try to gain an edge ended up with lower sales and operating incomes than those that paused at key moments to make sure they were on the right track, What’s more, the firms that “slowed down to speed up “improved their top and bottom lines, averaging 40% higher sales and 52% higher operating incomes over a three-year period.
How did they disobey the laws of business physics, taking more time than competitors yet performing better? They thought differently about what “slower” and “faster” mean. Firms sometimes fail to understand the difference between operation speed (moving quickly )and strategic speed (reducing the time it takes to deliver value ).Simply increasing the speed of production, for example ,may be one way to try to reduce the speed difference .But that often leads to reduced value over time, in the form of lower-quality products and services.
In our study, higher-performing companies with strategic speed always made changes when necessary. They became more open to ideas and discussion. They encouraged new ways of thinking. And they allowed time to look back and learn. By contrast (相比而言), performance suffered at firms that moved fast all the time, paid too much attention to improving efficiency, stuck to tested methods, didn’t develop team spirit among their employees, and had little time thinking about changes.
Strategic speed serves as a kind of leadership. Teams that regularly take time to get things right , rather than plough ahead full bore , are more successful in meeting their business goals . That kind of strategy must come from the top.
小題1: What does the underlined part “gain an edge ”in Paragraph 2 mean ? 
A.Increase the speed.
B.Get an advantage.
C.Reach the limit.
D.Set a goal.
小題2:. The underlined part “the laws of business physics” in Paragraph 3 means ___________.  
A.spending more time and performing worse.
B.spending more time and performing better
C.spending less time and performing worse
D.spending less time and performing better
小題3:What can we learn from the text?  
A.how fast a firm moves depends on how big it is.
B.how competitive a firm is depends on what it produces.
C.Firms guided by strategic speed take time to make necessary changes.
D.Firms guided by operational speed take time to develop necessary team spirit.
小題4:. Which could be the best title for the text?  
A.Improve quality? Serve better.
B.Deliver value? Plough ahead.
C.Reduce time? Move faster.
D.Need speed? Slow down.

小題1:B           
小題2:D
小題3:C
小題4:D

小題1:

小題2:

小題3:

小題4:
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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Perhaps the most astonishing theory to come out of kinetics,the study of body movement,was suggested by Professor Ray Birdwhistell.He believes that physical appearance Is often culturally programmed.In other words,we learn our looks;we are not born with them.
A baby generally unformed facial features.A baby,according to Birdwhistell,learns where to set the eyebrows by looking at those around family and friends.This helps explain why the people of some regions of the United States look so much lilke.New Englanders or Southerners have certain common facial characteristics that cannot be explained by genetics(遺傳學(xué)).The exact shape of the mouth is not set at birth,it is learned later.In fact,the final mouth shape is not formed until well after permanent(永久的)teeth are set.For many,this can be well into adolescence(青春期).A husband and wife together for a long time often come to look somewhat alike.We learn our looks from those around us. This is perhaps why in a single country there are areas where people smile more than those in other areas.In the United States,for example,the South is the part of the country where the people smile most frequently.In New England they smile less,and in the western part of New York State still less.Many Southerners find cities such as New York cold and unfriendly,partly because people on Madison Avenue smile less than people on Peach Tree Street jn Atlanta,Georgia.People in densely(稠密地)populated urban areas also tend to smile and greet each other in public less than people in rural areas and small towns.
小題1:The passage might be taken out of a book dealing with______
A.physicsB.healthC.chemistryD.body movement
小題2:Ray Birdwhistell believes that physical appearance_______.
A.has little to do with cultureB.is decided by our parents
C.can be infiuenced by cultureD.varies from place to place
小題3:Ray Birdwhistell can tell what region of the United States a person is from by     .
A.the way he or she talksB.how he or she raises his or her eyebrows
C.what he or she likes bestD.how much he or she laughs
小題4:According to the passage,people who live_______are more friendly.
A.in the northB.in the country
C.in New York CityD.in densely populated areas

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:完形填空

閱讀下面短文,從短文所給各題的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)(A、B、C、D)中選出能填入相應(yīng)空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。
Newcomers(新來(lái)的人) to the United States are often    36   by the schools. American schools    37   seem so different from the schools they know in    38   parts of the world. American education is based on the    39   that children    40   to learn to think    41   themselves. The school should be the    42   where they learn to do this.    43  , children learn the “three R’s” [(Reading, Writing and Arithmetic(算術(shù))], history and government (often called Social Studies) and many other    44  . They also learn    45  be independent(獨(dú)立的),how to make their own judgement(判斷), and how to develop their own   46   and interests. The American teacher does not    47  the children in her class to sit    48  hands folded quietly and to say    49 . She wants them to listen attentively(專心地) to ask questions. She knows that    50   children learn from books is    51 . She also knows that it is necessary for them to know how to use this    52  for their   53   and development. During Open School Week, parents have a    54   to see how American education    55  .
小題1:
A.happyB.a(chǎn)fraidC.gladD.surprised
小題2:
A.some timeB.sometimeC.sometimesD.some times
小題3:
A.otherB.the otherC.a(chǎn)notherD.a(chǎn)ll
小題4:
A.opinionB.ideaC.promiseD.conclusion
小題5:
A.needB.neededC.dareD.dared
小題6:
A.ofB.a(chǎn)gainstC.forD.with
小題7:
A.placeB.spaceC.roomD.a(chǎn)rea
小題8:
A.From schoolB.out schoolC.By schoolD.In school
小題9:
A.lessonsB.knowledgeC.subjectsD.object
小題10:
A.when toB.how toC.what toD.where to
小題11:
A.a(chǎn)bilityB.skillC.a(chǎn)bilitiesD.skills
小題12:
A.thinkB.wantC.letD.make
小題13:
A.withB.a(chǎn)crossC.overD.a(chǎn)bove
小題14:
A.somethingB.a(chǎn)nythingC.nothingD.much
小題15:
A.thatB.whichC.whereD.what
小題16:
A.importantB.unimportantC.necessaryD.useless
小題17:
A.studyB.workC.learningD.a(chǎn)im
小題18:
A.growingB.growthC.futureD.tomorrow
小題19:
A.a(chǎn)bilityB.possibilityC.interestD.chance
小題20:
A.developsB.learnsC.goesD.works

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

In the early stages of skill or character development, imitation(模仿) is helpful. When I first learned to cook, I used recipes (菜譜) and turned out some tasty dishes. But soon I grew bored. Why follow someone else’s way of cooking when I could create my own? Imitating role models is like using training wheels on a child’s bicycle; they help you get going, but once you find your own balance, you fly faster and farther without relying on them.
In daily life, imitation can hurt us if we subconsciously (下意識(shí)地) hold poor role models. If, as a child, you observed people whose lives were bad, you may have accepted their fear and pain as normal and gone on to follow what they did. If you do not make strong choices for yourself, you will get the results of the weak choices of others.
In the field of entertainment, those stars look great on screen. But when they step off screen, their personal lives may be disastrous. If you are going to follow someone, focus on their talent, not their bad character or unacceptable behaviors.
Think of the movies, books, teachers, and friends that have affected you most deeply. The world is changed not by those who do what has been done before them, but by those who do what has been done inside them. Creative people have an endless resource of ideas. The problem a creator faces is not running out of material; it is what to do with the material knocking at the door of imagination.
小題1:
.Imitation proves useful when you        .
A.know you are uniqueB.lose the balance of life
C.begin to learn something newD.get tired of routine practice
小題2:
To avoid the bad result of imitation, we should________.
A.forget daily fear and painB.choose the right example
C.a(chǎn)sk others for decisionsD.stay away from stars
小題3:
According to the author, the world moves on because of those who are          .
A.eager to influence others with their knowledge
B.ready to turn their original ideas into reality
C.eager to discover what their ancestors did
D.willing to accept others’ ideas
小題4:
The trouble a creator faces is          .
A.the lack of strong motivationB.the absence of practical ideas
C.how to search for more materialsD.how to use imagination creatively
小題5:
The author’s purpose in writing this passage is to __________.
A.emphasize the importance of creativity.
B.criticize the characters of role models.
C.compare imitation with creation.
D.explain the meaning of success.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

T-shirts out; uniforms in
School uniforms(制服) are becoming more and more popular across the U.S.A. That’s no surprise, because they offer many benefits. They immediately end the powerful social sorting and labeling (標(biāo)記) that come from clothing. If all students are dressed in the same way, they will not pay too much attention to their clothing, and some of them will not be laughed at for wearing the “wrong” clothes.
Some people are against the strict rule of school uniforms, but they do not realize that students already accept a kind of rule — wanting to look just like their friends. The difference is that the clothing students choose for themselves creates social barriers(障礙); school uniforms tear those barriers down.
As in other places, uniforms remind the wearers of their purposes and duties. For example, when a man or woman puts on a police uniform, he or she becomes, for a time, the symbol (象征) of law and order. The uniform means to the wearer his or her special duties and sends the same message to everyone the wearer meets. People with different jobs wear uniforms of one kind or another. For students, the school uniform reminds them that their task for the six or seven hours they are in school is to get an education.
Some parents are unhappy about uniforms, saying that school uniforms will affect their children’s “creativity.” First, as noted above, the clothes students choose to wear do not necessarily express their individuality (個(gè)性). They just copy their classmates. Second, students have the rest of the day to be as creative as they like. While they’re in school, their job is to master reading, writing, and maths; this should take up all the creativity they have. Mastery of those skills will be good for the students to build up their creativity in every way.
小題1:In Paragraph 1, the word “benefits” probably means       .
A.tasksB.messagesC.differencesD.a(chǎn)dvantages
小題2: From the passage we learn that uniforms in general       .
A.prevent the wearers from being laughed at
B.help the wearers keep their duties in mind
C.a(chǎn)re seen as a symbol of power
D.help to create social barriers
小題3: Some people are against school uniforms because       .
A.they fail to realize that students have accepted the uniforms
B.they believe that uniforms will make students less creative
C.they don’t agree that uniforms can remove social barriers
D.they think that school uniforms are too popular
小題4:The author would probably agree that       .
A.it makes no difference whether to wear school uniforms or not
B.students’ individuality may not come from school education
C.students’ creativity is related to the clothes they choose
D.school uniforms help to create equality among students
小題5: School uniforms are becoming more and more popular and important because _____
A.they can stop the powerful social sorting and labeling.
B.if all students are dressed in the same way, they will not pay too much attention to their clothing.
C.uniforms can remind the wearers of their purposes and duties
D.school uniforms will affect their children’s creativity.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and found the answers interesting.
One morning I got into three different taxis and announced, “Well, it’s my first day back in New York in seven years. I’ve been in prison.” Not a single driver replied, so I tried again. “Yeah, I shot a man in Reno.” I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked. The only response came from a Ghanaian driver, “Reno? That is in Nevada?”
Taxi drivers were uniformly sympathetic when I said I’d just been fired. “This is America,” a Haitian driver said. “One door is closed. Another is open.” He argued against my plan to burn down my boss’s house. A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope; he refused to take me to the middle of George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip. “Why you want to go there? Go home and relax. Don’t worry. Take a new job.”
One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks. The driver picked me up every time. My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.
“Let’s go across the park.” I said. “I just robbed the bank there. I got $25,000.”
“$25,000?” He asked.
“Yeah, you think it was wrong to take it?”
“No, man. I work 8 hours and I don’t make almost $70. If I can do that, I do it too.”
As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.
“Hey, there’s another bank,” I said, “Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?”
“No, I can’t wait. Pay me now.” His reluctance may have something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can’t expect unconditional support.
小題1:. From the Ghanaian driver’s response, we can infer that ____.
A.he was indifferent to the killingB.he was afraid of the author
C.he looked down upon the authorD.he thought the author was crazy
小題2:. Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?
A.Because he was able to help the author to find a new job.
B.Because he wanted to go home and relax.
C.Because it was far away from his home.
D.Because he thought that the author would commit suicide.
小題3:.What is the author’s interpretation of the driver’s reluctance “to wait outside the Chemical bank”?
A.The driver thought that the rate for waiting time was too low.
B.The driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally.
C.The driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible.
D.The driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery.
小題4:. Which of the following statements is true about New York taxi drivers?
A.They are ready to help you do whatever you want to.
B.they often refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves.
C.They are sympathetic with those who are out of work.
D.They work only for money.
小題5:. The passage mainly discusses ____.
A.how to please taxi drivers.
B.how to deal with taxi drivers
C.the attitudes of taxi drivers towards riders in personal trouble
D.the attitudes of taxi drivers towards troublesome taxi riders

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the United States or Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will learn a musical instrument or ballet or other classes which will give them a head start in life. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is , the better it is. So the parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education . Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter.
However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.
Parents can see that their children’s skills vary, skilled in some areas while poor in others. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today’s children lack (缺乏) self-respect and self-confidence.
The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents aren’t teaching them the most important skills they need to be confident , happy and clever.
Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing housework.
Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life. Cooking demands patience and time. It’s an enjoyable but difficult experiment. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually to finish his job successfully. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and a lot of self-confidence.
Some old machines , such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your children to play with will make him curious (好奇) and arouse his interest He will spend hours looking at them, trying to fix them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. These activities aren’t merely teaching a child to read a book , but rather to think, to use his mind. And that is more important.
小題1:.
Parents in China, according to this passage,_________.
A. are too strict with their children        
B. are too rich to educate their children
C have some problems in educating their children correctly
D. are too poor to educate their children
小題2:.
Generally speaking, children’s skills_______.
A.come from their parents
B.have nothing to do with their education
C.may be different
D.have something to do with their marks in the exams
小題3:.
The writer of this passage doesn’t seem to be satisfied with_______.
A.the parents’ idea of educating their children
B.the education system
C.children’s skills
D.children’s hobbies
小題4:.
. Doing some cooking at home helps children_________.
A.learn how to serve their parents
B.learn how to become strong and fat
C.benefit from it and prepare themselves for the future
D.make their parents believe that they are clever

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

One often hears that children should arrive at school “ready to learn.” For most children, the acquisition of reading and math skills starts in the first grade. In states where kindergarten is compulsory, it begins even earlier.
Many parents, teachers, and politicians maintain that preschool is the best way to prepare children to learn. There is no real consensus, however, about how this preparation should be achieved.
For some, early childhood education relates to the development of the whole child. They think that preschool should encourage exploration and discovery. Group activities teach positive social behaviors such as sharing, kindness, and patience. Time spent alone encourages independence. Learning letters and counting is important only for children who show an interest in them. Advocates of this approach stress that each child is unique and should learn at his or her own pace.
Other people refer to research showing that children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4. They claim that early introduction to letters and numbers lays the foundation for later academic excellence. Since the 1980s, many people have stressed the value of preschool and point to the success of programs -such as Head Start - that target low-income children.
Is there proof that an academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success? Studies have not been conclusive. In the short term, evidence suggests that middle-class children who attend preschool are ahead of their peers in maths and language skills as well as in social skills, when they enter school. However, the same studies show that the gap narrows considerably by the time children reach age 8.
Children living in poverty are a different matter. Those enrolled in programs such as Head Start seem to do better than impoverished children who do not attend a preschool. For instance, youngsters in one group enrolled in the program, tracked until the age of 21, earned higher scores on intelligence tests, were more likely to graduate from high school, and demonstrated more interest in higher education.
The idea of public preschool raises many issues. Providing Head Start for all children would be a financial burden on communities that already struggle to fund current school programs. Also, where would a sufficient number of teachers trained in early childhood development be found?
小題1:
Advocates of the development of the whole child believe school readiness is______ .
A.showing eagerness in exploration and discovery
B.learning basic skills, such as knowing letters and counting
C.showing great interest in basic academic concepts
D.demonstration of intellectual , social and emotional skills
小題2:
According to the passage, Head Start is most probably______ .
A.a(chǎn) preschool program that supports disabled children
B.a(chǎn) program that helps impoverished children attend a school
C.a(chǎn)n organization that aims to improve current school programs
D.a(chǎn) program that helps design the academic curriculum in preschool
小題3:
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Preschool benefits middle-class children more than poor children.
B.Most children start school with similar language and social skills.
C.Providing Head Start for all children has encountered great difficulties.
D.All children are ready to absorb basic academic concepts by age 3 or 4.
小題4:
Which of the following may best summarize the main idea of the passage?
A.An academic curriculum in preschool will lead to academic success.
B.Preshool is helpful, despite the disagreement about what it should offer.
C.Children enrolled in preschool demonstrate more interest in learning.
D.Preschool education shouldn't be a financial burden on communities.

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科目:高中英語(yǔ) 來(lái)源:不詳 題型:閱讀理解

There is that great idea that in an information and knowledge based economy, the most important thing for companies is attracting and holding outstanding talented guys.Obviously I will not say that is not important, but in my opinion a successful and groundbreaking company cannot be built just from the collection of high talented people, as a great sports team can't be constructed only by the collection of great players.
It is more important to build teams of people that achieve the goals according to the company's organizational vision.It is necessary to create organizations where everybody (with outstanding talent or not) can develop their best personal capabilities and that these capacities are addressed to achieve the corporate goals and mission.The company efforts must be addressed to design an organizational system that produces and uses talent from everyone in the company.
Trying to get the best from our people through corporate team building policies, establishing a concrete corporate culture and values, making our company a place where people want to work because it is a good place to stay and develop their capacities, is the best way to compete in the knowledge economy.That will keep us out of the obligation to constantly seek for the "best players" and entering in the retribution auctions(拍賣).
We have to take into account that, nowadays, the real talented and creative people, like to work or engage themselves in projects where they can develop their capacities, they can be involved in the organizational goals and vision, and where they are treated with respect and dignity.Definitively, they want to be happy doing their jobs.And we have to build organizations where they can find that.
小題1:
.The underlined word that in Paragraph 1 refers to ________.
A.information and knowledgeB.the great idea
C.the collection of talented peopleD.a(chǎn)ttracting and holding talented people
小題2:
.In the author’s opinion, a good company should consist of ________.
A.only outstanding peopleB.both talented and common people
C.only common peopleD.more talented people than common people
小題3:
The most important thing a successful company should do is ________.
A.constantly seek for talented people
B.employ people with different abilities
C.make the company a place where employees are glad to devote themselves to work
D.make the company a place where employees can get the best pay and great respect
小題4:
According to Paragraph 3, the company can get the best from its employees in the following ways EXCEPT ________.
A.making corporate team building rules
B.forming corporate culture and values
C.encouraging them to develop their abilities
D.competing in the knowledge economy

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